Isabel Sanford Movies

This two-part Jeffersons episode was written to accommodate the return of series regular Marla Gibbs, whose own starring sitcom Checking In had just been canceled. In comparing their new housekeeper, Carmen (Roseanna Christensen), to her predecessor, Florence (Gibbs), George and Louise Jefferson (Sherman Hemsley and Isabel Sanford) recall past events courtesy of clips from earlier episodes. Part one of "Florence Did It Different" ends with a surprise -- a not altogether pleasant one for Carmen. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Again hoping to leave a legacy so that he will be remembered after his death, George Jefferson (Sherman Hemsley) hits upon the brilliant idea of writing his memoirs. He soon abandons this silly notion in favor of a sillier one -- the creation of the "George Jefferson Museum." Listen for the voice of Peter Lawford in this episode's uproarious conclusion (uproarious to everyone but George, that is). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In this pilot episode for the Marla Gibbs sitcom Checking In, Florence Johnston (Gibbs) has left the employ of the Jeffersons and has accepted a job as executive housekeeper in a posh downtown hotel. Almost immediately upon her arrival, Florence is faced with two unpleasant tasks: Firing an old friend, and breaking the news to her ex-boss, George Jefferson (Sherman Hemsley), that the hotel has turned down his bid for a dry-cleaning contract. Originally telecast as a single 60-minute episode on March 29, 1981 -- thereby bringing season seven of The Jeffersons to a close -- "Florence's New Job" has since been divided into two half-hour installments for syndication. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Louise Jefferson (Isabel Sanford) is touched and impressed when her neighbor Tom Willis (Franklin Cover) writes a Valentine's Day poem to his wife, Helen (Roxie Roker). Is it any wonder, then, that Louise is outraged when her own husband, George (Sherman Hemsley), not only forgets the holiday, but then crassly offers her money to compensate for his bad memory? Hoping to get back into Louise's good graces, George commissions a love song from composer Sammy (played by real-life composer Frank DeVol, in his first appearance on The Jeffersons). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

George Jefferson (Sherman Hemsley) has had just about enough of his contentious store manager, Wendell Thomas (Earl Billings) -- a sentiment shared by the rest of George's employees. Alas, just as George is firing Wendell, the much-despised manager drops dead. Can things get any worse? You bet: George is called upon to deliver the eulogy at Wendell's funeral. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Louise Jefferson (Isabel Sanford) has grown up with the belief that her father died when she was two years old. All of this changes when Louise's husband, George (Sherman Hemsley), sees a newspaper photo of a "Harold Mills" -- which happened to be the name of Louise's long lost dad. Instead of expressing joy at this discovery, Louise adamantly refuses to entertain the notion that her father might still be alive. Originally filmed for the seventh season of The Jeffersons, "Louise's Father" was held back until season eight. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The first eighth-season Jeffersons episode to be taped (though not the first shown), this one finds George Jefferson (Sherman Hemsley) brooding over the likelihood that old age is creeping up on him. George's wife, Louise (Isabel Sanford), tries to boost his ego by anonymously sending flowers -- with a sexily suggestive card -- to his office. As usual, George leaps to the wrong conclusion, convinced that his secretary is coming on to him. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In this elaborate spoof of the legendary "Who Shot J.R.?" episode of Dallas, the Jeffersons' housekeeper, Florence (Marla Gibbs), takes it upon herself to write a soap opera script. What emerges from Florence's typewriter is a tale of lust, intrigue, and betrayal, centered around a ruthless dry-cleaning tycoon named G.R. -- who bears a striking resemblance to George Jefferson (Sherman Hemsley). When the much-despised G.R. is shot, the rest of the Jeffersons cast members pop up as the most likely suspects. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

George Jefferson (Sherman Hemsley), upset over the number of robberies in his apartment building, attends what he thinks is a tenants' meeting. Imagine his surprise and outrage when George discovers that the meeting is being sponsored by a local chapter of the KKK. There's no "happy sitcom ending" in this sobering episode, in which George must rely upon his CPR training to save the life of the man who may well be his worst enemy. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

George Jefferson (Sherman Hemsley) squares off against his dry-cleaning rival, Cunningham (Paul B. Price), in the race for the championship of their local bowling league. Unfortunately, just before the deciding match, George's star bowler falls ill. Desperately, George asks his neighbor Tom Willis (Franklin Cover) -- who hasn't set foot in a bowling alley in years -- to take his ailing star's place. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Its popularity having grown apace since its move to a Sunday night time slot in June 1979, The Jeffersons remained on CBS' Sunday Prime Time manifest as it launched its eighth season in the fall of 1981. Season eight would ultimately yield more first-run episodes than any previous season (27 in all), due to the producers' foresighted decision to "stockpile" new episodes during season seven in the event of another Hollywood union strike such as the one that disrupted production in 1980. At the end of The Jeffersons' 1980-1981 season, Marla Gibbs' character of sassy housekeeper Florence Johnston had been spun off into her own starring series, Checking In, which found Florence appointed as executive housekeeper for the posh St. Frederick Hotel. Alas, Checking In, which premiered April 9, 1981, ran a piddling four episodes. This necessitated Florence's return to The Jeffersons, which in turn required a two-part episode titled "Florence Did It Different," in which it was "explained" that Florence was rehired by George and Louise Jefferson (Sherman Hemsley, Isabel Sanford) after the St. Frederick burned to the ground. (No one missed Florence's temporary replacement in the Jefferson household, a maid named Carmen played by Roseanna Christensen). Though Florence was back, several other Jeffersons' regulars were on their way out. Both Mike Evans and Berlinda Tolbert, cast respectively as Lionel Jefferson and Lionel's wife Jenny, had decided to leave the series at the end of season eight. Though their characters weren't precisely written out, Evans and Tolbert would henceforth be seen only in a sporadic "guest-star" capacity (The couple's infant daughter Jessica, previously all but invisible, finally appeared during the eighth season, played by twin girls Erin and Leslie Holland). And Paul Benedict, who'd been in the series from the beginning as the Jeffersons' eccentric British neighbor Harry Bentley, likewise ankled The Jeffersons in the spring of 1981 -- though he would return, again as a regular, two years later. The Jeffersons closed out its eighth season as the third highest-rated network series -- its most lofty ratings perch ever, and one that it would never attain again. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the first episode of a four-part story, George Jefferson (Sherman Hemsley) decides to take a trip to Hawaii for health reasons. Naturally, he offers to take wife, Louise (Isabel Sanford), along for the ride. But the trip is nearly over before it begins when George discovers that his in-laws Tom and Helen Willis (Franklin Cover, Roxie Roker) have already embarked upon a Hawaiian vacation -- and so has the Jeffersons' obstreperous maid, Florence (Marla Gibbs). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide